Period 8 – Week 1 Training Report

HIGHLIGHTS: This was a baseline week. The primary goal for this period is to race while continuing to build a higher sustainable race pace and maintain endurance and strength gains from the previous period. Workouts on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday (strength warmup), and Friday were conducted indoors on a power trainer. Workouts on Monday, Thursday (strength cooldown), Saturday, and Sunday were conducted outdoors on a local bike trail.

Monday’s workout was a 29.82 mile effort at 60%-70% MHR completed in 1:59:57. Average speed was 15.0 mph; maximum speed was 23.2 mph.

Tuesday’s workout was a continuous minutes ramped intervals for eight minutes with a five watts increase starting at 195 watts to over 230 watts, repeated three times with two minutes recovery between intervals. Average speed was 19.0 mph; maximum speed was 24.5 mph. Average power was 133 watts; maximum power was 467 watts.

Wednesday’s workout was a VO2 development and lactate tolerance session consisting of three parts: 15 second all-out sprints repeated seven times with two minutes recovery between sprints; one minute all-out intervals at over 105 RPM cadence, repeated seven times with two minutes recovery between sprints; five minute high intensity interval at over 95 RPM cadence, repeated twice with two minutes recovery between intervals. Average speed was 18.9 mph; maximum speed was 27.0 mph. Average power was 130 watts; maximum power was 473 watts.

Thursday’s workout was a strength training session consisting of a 10-minute warmup on the bike, an assortment of 10 exercises, such as high-bench step-ups, one-leg squats, press-ups, and planks, followed by a 24.27 mile effort outdoors at 60%-70% MHR completed in 1:32:41. Average speed was 17.0 mph; maximum speed was 22.0 mph. Average power was 120 watts; maximum power was 161 watts.

Friday’s workout was a leg speed spin out session consisting of a 30-second buildup to maximum cadence held for an additional minute, repeated four times, with four minutes recovery between intervals. Average speed was 18.3 mph; maximum speed was 24.3 mph. Average power was 120 watts; maximum power was 485 watts.

Saturday’s workout was a 28.46 mile effort at 70%-80% MHR completed in 1:46:19. Average speed was 16.1 mph; maximum speed was 24.9 mph.

Sunday’s workout was a 40.11 mile effort at 60%-70% MHR completed in 2:29:43. Average speed was 16.1 mph; maximum speed was 25.9 mph.